matt123roll Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Just been stopped by the wonderful cheshire constabulary traffic coppers OUTSIDE MY HOUSE and handed a £60 fine because apparently my pressed plates don't comply with UK regs.However they carry all stamps needed and are BSAU145d numbered and have the postcode of where they were made, I argued the point but was given a fine anyway and told to get them off the car I bought them from this guy on ebay, he even says they are fully MOT complient...Any advice as I'm not paying a fine for illegal plates when apparently mine comply!http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120765592962#ht_1638wt_986http://www.regtransfers.co.uk/main/car_numberplates_regulations.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treblet Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Contest it in court if you believe you're in the right.Be careful though as to make "legal" number plates the guy on ebay should have actually had sight of your registration certificate and your Identification as well as seeing you.Turning up in court claiming the guy you bought them from told you they were legal won't get you far either! I'd suggest you do some swatting up on the laws before you arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty_82 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 They 100% won't be legal of you bought them off eBay, pay the fine, change the plates and put this one down to experience 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fob163 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 i bought mine off eBay and had them illegally spaced. when i was out with some fellow VW friends of mine, the police stopped and checked us all out numberplates & insurance. my friend got a thing that he needed to take his plate to an mot test centre and get a signature to say they are displayed on the front of his car as it was in his windscreen. they didn't bat an eyelid towards mine! aslong as its on the front they dont seem to care! so unlucky mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic78 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Why not just have normal 'smooth' plates? They look better anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete91 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 as well as seeing youIs that right? Because dubmeister just require the original documents through the post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgen Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Why not just have normal 'smooth' plates? They look better anyway.Thats your opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete91 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 And yeah i always thought that the ebay jobbies were illegal cos they don't require the documents to be sent out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic78 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Thats your opinion True, I just don't get the whole thing of people trying to make everything as smooth as possible and then putting those types of plates on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt123roll Posted June 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 I've messaged the guy on ebay and he said:"Hi I am sorry you have had problems with your plates I don,t know why, we have sold loads of these and our plates go through MOT with no problemsour plates meet the requirements of the british standard i:e retro reflective backgroundcharles wright fontmanufacturers name & post codebsau number.before I sold these plates I contacted DVLA and they assured me there is nothing in the law stating you cannot have pressed metal plates also i took the plates to VOSA's head enforement officer in kent and he checked the plates over and said that they comply with british standards and would pass MOT.I can contact my supplier next week and see if there is any paper work available.best regards"I'll probably end up just paying the fine as it's not worth disputing, but I'll be pushing for a refund on the plates. Also does anyone know if you take have plates inspected by VOSA/DVLA to confirm if they are reg compliant? As my plates have a retro reflective backing, correctly sized and spaced charles wright font, they are the correct side for the reg and have the postcode of where they were printed along with the BSAU145d. Everything that makes a plate legal as far as I'm aware? I admit it's my own ignorance but I either want to know why my plates aren't considered legal or why the coppers can't spot legal plates when they see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartagram Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 pay the fine, change the plates and put this one down to experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyC Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 Do not pay the fine and roll over. If they are spaced correctly with the right font and the minimum amount of border and BS stamped on them, then your pressed plates are perfectly legal.I'll try and find out the exact in's and out's for you and report back. Sounds like a complete jobsworth and you'd be better going down and speaking with his commanding officer about it and see if they can quash it for you before any court balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
on it in a lupo Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 your best bet it is to buy the dubminster 1's cos they fallow all ther laws and you can the fight your corner, but when you say ebay theres a higher chance there illegel rather than legel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashh Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 Local police in my area argue the plates are legal when on a car from the pressed plate period... Illegal otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt123roll Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 Local police in my area argue the plates are legal when on a car from the pressed plate period... Illegal otherwise.Thats the case for Pre 1973, but thats black and silver. Regs state plates must be made of a BA approved material and doesn't specify they cannot be pressed aluminium! I think a lot of police see them and assume they are show plates because people run german/french plates with the wrong font and spacing.Do not pay the fine and roll over. If they are spaced correctly with the right font and the minimum amount of border and BS stamped on them, then your pressed plates are perfectly legal.I'll try and find out the exact in's and out's for you and report back. Sounds like a complete jobsworth and you'd be better going down and speaking with his commanding officer about it and see if they can quash it for you before any court balls.I would appreciate that, I've been looking online for guidance and have posted on a road policing forum to see what other coppers say. Also thinking of taking the plates to my nearest VOSA office and see what they have to say about them, how the copper can say they are non reflective is beyond me as you can see from when Ive used a camera flash they do indeed reflect light.. for anyone interested here's some pictures of the plates: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) The regs state the plate must be made of retroreflective materiel. So slapping a bit of shiny paint on wont suffice.It is highly unlikely the Magistrates would take your word for it over a traffic Officer, I wouldnt advise contesting it Edited June 24, 2012 by Defcon5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt123roll Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 The regs state the plate must be made of retroreflective materiel. So slapping a bit of shiny paint on wont suffice.It is highly unlikely the Magistrates would take your word for it over a traffic Officer, I wouldnt advise contesting itYou are indeed correct but plastic itself is not a retroreflective material. They place a reflective backing onto plastic plates, so it doesn't matter that they are not plastic, they still have the same backing on (not paint...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 So yours are just as reflective as plastic ones? Are those photos taken with a flash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 I think the issue is that your plates are reflective, but not retroreflective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treblet Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 retroreflective. Is that anything like Oldskool reflective? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt123roll Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 So yours are just as reflective as plastic ones? Are those photos taken with a flash?The first 2 are using a flash the last one is not. Can you describe the difference between reflective and retroreflective? As I feel as you say this will be the reason why there considered legal/illegal. I'm looking for somewhere that can measure how reflective they are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyC Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) They place a reflective backing onto plastic plates, so it doesn't matter that they are not plastic, they still have the same backing on (not paint...)Correct.Was away hunting there on a local car forum of mine with info from local plod and a plate maker who has also checked with our DVA (same regs as DVLA) and its exactly has been pointed out by the plate manufacturer to you in the emails. I see on your plate you even have the BSAU145d requirements and are marked. You also have GB which is fine. Your plates look legal font from what it appears in the photos. The yellow looks a bit odd i must say but again its maybe the photo?Check this out: http://www.direct.go...lates/DG_181503 Even says there 3D is legal if they met all the requirements. Measure your characters and spacing as detailed there (doubt its wrong) and if it all meets the requirements id go down to the local station where this guy is based and ask to speak to either that officer or the one in charge and take a copy of that directgov page and politely explain.The only thing i have a doubt over is the fact the post code and BS is not on the actual plate but a border, not sure that makes a difference? I'll ask and see Edited June 24, 2012 by DaddyC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt123roll Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 Correct.Was away hunting there on a local car forum of mine with info from local plod and a plate maker who has also checked with our DVA (same regs as DVLA) and its exactly has been pointed out by the plate manufacturer to you in the emails. I see on your plate you even have the BSAU145d requirements and are marked. You also have GB which is fine. Your plates look legal font from what it appears in the photos. The yellow looks a bit odd i must say but again its maybe the photo?Check this out: http://www.direct.go...lates/DG_181503 Even says there 3D is legal if they met all the requirements. Measure your characters and spacing as detailed there (doubt its wrong) and if it all meets the requirements id go down to the local station where this guy is based and ask to speak to either that officer or the one in charge and take a copy of that directgov page and politely explain.The only thing i have a doubt over is the fact the post code and BS is not on the actual plate but a border, not sure that makes a difference? I'll ask and see Exactly the kind of help I was looking for! Not just people bashing metal plates. I'm going to hopefully have the plates checked out by my local VOSA office tomorrow and what they say depends if I go the station or not. I'm happy to pay the fine if the plates are not legal but if the seller is honest and they comply there is no way I'm paying as the officer doesn't know his stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete91 Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 Did the ebay guy ask to see your original documents? Because i think that's a pretty big factor in making them legal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt123roll Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 Did the ebay guy ask to see your original documents? Because i think that's a pretty big factor in making them legal.What if you a buy a car and they come on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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